Keys To Her Heart (Brookfield) by Lacey Wolfe Page A

again—away from the hunky man thoughts—on who else had their fingers in these holes and what germs she’d have after. Lily never really considered herself a germ-a-phobe, but as she walked around this place, it seemed more and more like she was turning into one.
    “Who goes first?” she asked as Cody placed his desired ball next to hers.
    “You, of course.” He typed away on the small computer and a moment later, the screen above their lane said she could start when ready.
    She picked the ball up and walked up to the lane. With her legs slightly apart, her nerves took over. It was time to be honest; it had been years since she’d played. She’d hurt her back a few years ago in a car accident and hadn’t picked up a ball sense. Then it dawned on her, she and Heath had never taken their son bowling, yet that’s how they’d met.
    “Are you chicken?” Cody asked.
    She chuckled. “Hell no.”
    With that, she got herself into position and released the ball. Only the ball rolling straight down the lane and right to the center pin didn’t happen.
    “Damn, gutter ball.” Cody laughed and her cheeks burned.
    Lily couldn’t believe she’d done that. She took several deep breaths as she waited at the ball return for her ball. Once it was back, she picked it up and went back to position.
    Come on, you can do this. She tossed the ball down the lane again, this time it was headed straight for the center, but then it curved, only hitting half the pins.
    Agh! She’d take it, if she had to.
    “I just need to warm up.” She sat down.
    “If you’re in the gutter, I’m sure I will be, too.” Cody grabbed his ball.
    Lily should be keeping an eye on how he threw the ball, but instead let her gaze wander to his backside, watching how his body moved as he released the ball. Cody clapped his hands and stomped his foot. Lily darted a look at the board. A strike . Cody got a strike. This wasn’t looking good. Wasn’t this supposed to be fun?
    “Your turn.” He beamed.
    She glared at him. “Don’t get too comfortable with your score.”
    “Right now I’m going to sit down and enjoy the view.”
    Her cheeks warmed again. He’d been checking her out the same way she’d done to him. This time as she stood before the lane, she gave her hips a little shake before she released the ball. Closing her eyes, she waited for the sound of the ball to meet the pins.
    It was a long clink and with a deep breath, she opened her eyes. Strike!
    Lily jumped up and down, clapping her hands. She spun around and placed a hand on her hip, ready to gloat. She hadn’t expected Cody to be standing right there; his chest close enough for her to touch if she really wanted. Oh yeah, she wanted to.
    Licking her lips, she stared up into his eyes. He had the cutest smirk on his face, but something else was drawing her to him. Something that made her take a step toward him, instead of away. Her breasts touched his chest. Oh God, she really wanted to kiss him.
    She lifted herself onto her toes. She was going to make the first move, but then he stepped back, breaking the connection.
    “I’m sorry about that.” He ran a hand through his dark hair, tugging on the ends. “I don’t know what came over me.”
    Whatever the pull was between them, it seemed to be super charged. “It’s okay.” What else could she say? She’d wanted to kiss him, and obviously he’d wanted something since he’d crept up so close to her.
    “I need to respect your choice to be friends.” He picked up his bowling ball.
    What a nice guy. There weren’t many. Any other guy would’ve let her kiss him, even though she probably would’ve regretted it after. There was a part of her, though, that wanted him to throw caution to the wind, wrap his arms around her waist, and pin her to a wall somewhere. Oh yeah, just thinking about that got her body in a tizzy. With a hunk of a man like that pressing her to a wall—woo, she now understood the expression of needing a cold